-- The Heidelberg Catechism Key – by the Rev. Albert W. Kovacs, Calvin Synod – Upon the 450th anniversary of the writing of the Heidelberg Catechism by Dr. Zacharias Ursinus, a Hungarian Reformed pastor describes how Question 1 – “What is thy only comfort in life and in death” and Question 2 – “How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?” are the key that opens the door to understanding the revered catechism of Reformed churches throughout the world;

The following overture by the Illiana Presbyteryof the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) to the 41st General Assembly scheduled for 17-21 June 2013 in Greenville, South Carolina, regarding the PCA’s continual ineffectiveness in disciplining proponents of the unbiblical and unconfessional Federal Vision and related theological viewpoints among some of the Teaching Elders (TE) in the denomination:

OVERTURE from Illiana Presbytery

“Direct Standing Judicial Commission to Rehear SJC 2012-05”

Whereas, WCF 31-2 states that “it belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience”; and

Whereas, BCO 14-6.a grants the General Assembly power to “receive and issue all appeals, references, and complaints regularly brought before it from the lower courts; to bear testimony against error in doctrine and immorality in practice, injuriously affecting the church; to decide in all controversies respecting doctrine and discipline”; and

Whereas, BCO 39-4 states, “The higher court does have the power and obligation of judicial review, which cannot be satisfied by always deferring to the findings of a lower court. Therefore, a higher court should not consider itself obliged to exhibit the same deference to a lower court when the issues being reviewed involve the interpretation of the Constitution of the Church. Regarding such issues, the higher court has the duty and authority to interpret and apply the Constitution of the Church according to its best abilities and understanding, regardless of the opinion of the lower court”; and

Whereas, the issues being reviewed in SJC 2012-05 involve the interpretation of the Constitution of the Church; and

Whereas, the Operating Manual for the Standing Judicial Commission 2.4 states that, “A member shall not render judgment in any matter pending before the commission on the basis of anything other than the Constitution of the Church and the facts presented by the Record of the Case and the other materials properly before him”; and

Whereas, the SJC declared the “Statement of Issue” to be whether or not the Complainant demonstrated that the Pacific Northwest Presbytery violated the Constitution of the PCA when it concluded that the accused was not guilty, and thus ruled according to that “Statement of Issue” [1]; and

Whereas, nothing in the Constitution of the PCA places the burden of proof upon the Complainant, requiring the Complainant “provide sufficient evidence” [2] or prove that the views of the one accused violated the system of doctrine contained in the Westminster Standards [3]; and

Whereas, each of the five charges in the original indictment charged the accused with contradicting the Westminster Standards, part of the Constitution of the PCA [4]; and

Whereas, the complaint brought before the General Assembly in SJC 2012-05 is against the decision of Pacific Northwest Presbytery in their finding the accused not guilty of each of the five charges [5]; and

Whereas, the Constitution of the PCA therefore requires the SJC to independently examine the evidence in the Record of the Case and interpret and apply the Constitution of the Church according to its best abilities and understanding, regardless of the opinion of the lower court; and

Whereas, the SJC did not determine whether the accused is guilty of holding and teaching views that are in conflict with the system of doctrine taught in the Westminster Standards, rendering judgment instead on whether the Complainant demonstrated such a conflict, thereby failing to fulfill its duty to interpret and apply the Constitution of the PCA according to its best abilities and understanding (BCO 39-4); and

Whereas, the BCO 15-5.a permits the General Assembly to “direct the Standing Judicial Commission to retry a case if upon review of its minutes exceptions are taken with respect to that case”;

Therefore, be it resolved that Illiana Presbytery hereby overtures the 41st General Assembly to direct the Standing Judicial Commission to rehear case 2012-05 (RE Gerald Hedman v. Pacific Northwest Presbytery) in accordance with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America.

ARPTalk Blog editor the Rev. Dr. Chuck Wilson in a13 April 2013 article titled “President of Erskine Asked to RESIGN” reported that the Erskine Executive Committee on 9 April 2013 was given ten days to resign or otherwise be given a vote of no confidence by the Erskine Board.

Dr. Wilson said that Board Chairman David Conner forced this issue one month before the end of the school year as part of Conner’s real agenda to “SEPARATE ERSKINE COLLEGE & SEMINARY FROM THE ARP CHURCH”. After explaining in detail his theory, Dr. Wilson concluded:

“Chairman Conner’s actions are obviously highhanded and precipitous. His repeated efforts to put distance between Erskine and the ARP Church have greatly increased the division and distrust on the board. Now, will his frantic efforts create confusion and uncertainty on campus at a critical time in the recruitment cycle, lead to further conflict within the Erskine community as the battle for succession begins, and greatly cripple the reputation of Erskine on all fronts?

“In the near future, will there also be a vote of “no confidence” in the Chairman of the board? Is not Chairman Conner also responsible for the policies of the President he has supported and now abandons?”

On 18 March 2013, New York State Assemblyman John Ceretto (145th Assembly District, which includes parts of Niagara and Erie counties) introduced on the floor of the assembly in Albany, New York the Rev. Kevin Backus, pastor of the Bible Presbyterian Church in Grand Island, New York. The two discussed issues of legislative importance to the district.

Assemblyman Ceretto commented to the assembly:

“Pastor Backus is an important member of the Grand Island community and I welcome his input on the issues that impact Grand Island,” said Ceretto. “Community leaders like Pastor Backus have their fingers on the pulse of Grand Island and I am thankful for the valuable insights that he provides. I hope he enjoyed his time at the Capitol and I look forward to talking with him again.”

Following the 2012 bullying allegations, the CoS Central Services Committee reminded the church that there was a “zero tolerance” approach to bullying, and several other measures were taken including a survey of staff members about workplace bullying and other matters.

On behalf of all Nigerian-Americans, we would like to express our heartfelt condolence to our fellow Americans on the death of three and several more injured and traumatized people due to last week’s terrorist attack on the world-renowned Boston Marathon.

The evils of terrorism in today’s world are now well known and so too must be the demand of vigilance in the overall protection of the common good.

However it is truly inspiring how the evil attack has brought about a clear contrast between the terrorists and the good people of Boston: a people of resolve, rising in the best traditions of human love and unity of action repudiating the dastardly motive of terror, and recover a city’s sense of normalcy.

The terrorists acted to spur fear, but the people have responded in clear spirit of boldness, power and a sound mind!

Our prayer is that the good LORD will comfort the all the families involved and completely heal the city of Boston.

Incidentally, that terror attack on U.S. soil is another reminder that the despicable forces of evil remain willful in their cantankerous and devilish quest to kill and attack innocent people.

This is exactly what innocent Christians in Nigeria have been facing on a regular basis, especially in the last three years in the hands of Boko Haram, a terror group possibly linked to Al Qaida. Those terrorists at least on a weekly basis now bomb, maim, kill and traumatize innocent Nigerians at will, most of the victims being Christians.

Boko Haram however has enjoyed immunity in Nigeria, and the U.S. State Department has refused to designate this band of terrorists as a Foreign Terrorists Organization, FTO.

We are again calling on the U.S. State Department to treat Boko Haram as a terrorist group with all seriousness. It is not enough to label few of its leaders as global terrorists without doing same for the corporate body.